1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and apparatus for processing recyclable materials. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and apparatus for sorting and temporarily storing recyclable materials, in which the apparatus includes an intake header box and a plurality of routing channels connected to the header box. During use, a user deposits one or more recyclable items into the intake header box, and the user then presses a selected button to control routing of the deposited item to a pre-sorted storage area. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a system and apparatus of the type described in which the routing channels are made from modular units, so that the apparatus can be modified or adapted to meet the needs of different users, or the changing needs of a single user.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recycling of certain materials such as, for example, glass, cans, and plastics, among other materials, is becoming more popular in today's increasingly environmentally-conscious society. Many communities now have facilities and equipment to pick up recyclable materials at curbside.
A number of different sorting and storage systems are known for processing recyclable materials. Examples of some of the known sorting and storage systems, for recycling used materials, include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,097 (Hazlewood), U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,458 (Gilcreest et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,017 (Becher et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,869 (Geiman), U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,945 (Becher), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,057 (Gazzoli).
Although the known sorting and storage systems have some utility for their intended purposes, a need still exists in the art for an improved modular sorting and storage system and apparatus for processing recyclable materials in the home or in a small business environment. In particular, there is a need for an improved recyclable material processing system which will overcome difficulties encountered with the known art.